BIXI's Public Bike System design receives the longest-standing and most recognized Design Award of Excellence in the world

MONTREAL, Feb. 1 /PRNewswire/ - Excellent news for the Public Bike System Company, the organization behind the internationally renowned BIXI bike sharing system, as we begin the year 2011. Its design, the work of industrial designer Michel Dallaire, recently won at the prestigious 2010 GOOD DESIGN® Awards - in the Environment Category, presented by the Chicago Athenaeum.

''The GOOD DESIGN® Awards have been in existence for over 60 years and have already paid tribute to designs such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and one of NASA's spacecrafts. It is the longest-standing design award of excellence as well as the most recognized globally, which only emphasizes how proud we are of Michel Dallaire and his team,'' declared Mr. Roger Plamondon, BIXI's chairman of the board.

Mr. Alain Ayotte, BIXI's Chief Executive Officer, added: ''During this edition of the GOOD DESIGN® Awards, more than 500 products and designs, originating from 36 different countries, were submitted. The jury having chosen the BIXI system clearly shows that we not only offer the best bike sharing system globally, but that we also work with the best experts in all fields. ''

Note that the BIXI project was also chosen by the jury for the Design Award of the Federal Republic of Germany 2011, and that it already received several honours pertaining to its design, among them the Bronze International Design Excellence Award (IDEA) in the ''Transportation'' category.

About BIXI and the Public Bike System Company
bixi.com / bixisystem.com
The Public Bike System Company (PBSC) is the organization behind the concept, development and operation of the first large-scale bike sharing system in North America, the BIXI. Destined to become a complementary means of public transportation, this service allows citizens to rent a bike from a given station, carry out trips and return the bike to any station in the network. PBSC currently offers a highly advanced bike sharing system on three continents, to private campuses and cities, such as London (UK), Melbourne (Australia), Minneapolis, Washington and Arlington (USA). PBSC also offers realistic solutions as to alternative transportation along with consultant services, both technical and operational.        

Prestigious Awards
In November 2009, management responsible for the BIXI project won gold from the Institute of Public Administration of Canada in the Leadership Award category. The BIXI system already received prestigious international awards, among them 19^th place in TIME Magazine's best inventions in 2008, the GOLD award for best product in 2009 in the "Energy and sustainable development" category (Edison Best New Products Awards) as well as bronze in the International Design Excellence Award (IDEA), in the "Transportation" category.

About Good Design Award
http://www.chi-athenaeum.org/

Founded in 1950, the GOOD DESIGN® Awards of the Chicago Athenaeum, international museum of architecture and design, each year honour designers and influential enterprises from all over the world for excellence and innovation in the development of industrial and graphic designs and products.

SOURCE BIXI - Public Bike System Company